19 indicted for attacking protesters during Turkey's Erdogan visit to the US

A view of a protest that turned violent outside the Turkish embassy in Washington D.C., May 16, 2017.Screenshot via VOA TurkishWASHINGTON (AP) — A grand jury in the U.S. capital has issued indictments for 19 people, including 15 identified as Turkish security officials, for attacking protesters in May 2017.

The indictments, announced Tuesday, charge the defendants with attacking peaceful demonstrators who were protesting the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 17. All 19 are charged with conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, a felony punishable by a statutory maximum of 15 years in prison. Several face additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon.

Sixteen of the defendants had already been charged June 13; Tuesday's indictment adds three new defendants, all Turkish security officials.

Two of the defendants were arrested in June and face an initial court hearing on Sept. 7. The rest remain at large.